Analgesic and Antioxidant Activity of the Hydromethanolic Extract of Mikania scandens (L.) Willd. Leaves

Mariam Jamila,Md Sohel Rana,Muntasir Mamun Majumder,Raushanara Akter,Md Arif,Md Ashraful Alam,Shafiqur Rahman,Md Ehsanul Hoque Mazumder,Md Mokarram Hossain,S.M Raquibul Hasan,Rumana Jahangir

doi:10.3844/ajptsp.2009.1.7

Abstract

Problem statement: Mikania scandens (L.) Willd., a medicinal plant, is popularly used as herbal remedy for various ailments in Bangladesh. But the scientific basis for its medicinal use especially in pain and inflammation remains unknown. Therefore, the present study was designed to evaluate analgesic and antioxidant potential of the hydromethanol extract of the leaves of the plant. Approach: The analgesic activity was determined for its central and peripheral pharmacological actions using hotplate and tail immersion method and acetic acid-induced writhing test in mice respectively. The hydromethanol extract was also investigated for its antioxidant action using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, Nitric Oxide (NO) scavenging and reducing power assays. Results: The extract, at the dose of 250 and 500 mg kg-1, produced a significant (p<0.05) increase in pain threshold in hotplate and tail immersion methods in a dose dependent manner. In acetic acid-induced writhing test, the extract (500 mg kg-1) produced a maximum of 53.73% inhibition (p<0.001) of writhing reaction compared to the reference drug Diclofenac-Na (76%). A dose dependent scavenging of DPPH radical and NO was observed with good reducing power with the extract. In DPPH radical scavenging assay, the IC50 value of the extract was 375.40 μg mL-1 while the IC50 value for the reference ascorbic acid was 55.89 μg mL-1. The IC50 values of the extract and ascorbic acid were 220.43 and 125.10 μg mL-1, respectively in NO scavenging assay. Conclusion: The findings of the study suggested that the extract from Mikania scandens has strong analgesic and antioxidant effects.

Highlights

Pain is a sensorial modality and primarily protective in nature, but often causes discomfort
Exogenous antioxidant compounds may exert beneficial actions upon systems which have been deprived from sufficient amounts of endogenous antioxidants as in some cardiovascular diseases, tumors, inflammation, ulcer and aging[2]
Still no scientific and methodical investigation has so far been reported in literature regarding its analgesic and antioxidant action

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Pain is a sensorial modality and primarily protective in nature, but often causes discomfort. Available analgesic drugs such as opiates and NSAIDs are not useful in all cases due to their adverse effects. In this respect new compounds with improved pain management capacity and fewer side effects are being sought with urgency. Still no scientific and methodical investigation has so far been reported in literature regarding its analgesic and antioxidant action. As a part of our ongoing phytochemical and pharmacological investigations on local medicinal plants of Bangladesh[9,10], the present study has been designed to examine the analgesic and antioxidant activity of the hydromethanol extract of the leaves of Mikania scandens (L.) Willd

MATERIALS AND METHODS

RESULTS

DISCUSSION

CONCLUSION